[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 4 (Thursday, January 7, 2016)]
[House]
[Page H106]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   REPEALING THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, I was proud to 
vote in favor of the Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom 
Reconciliation Act, which repeals the Affordable Care Act, or the ACA. 
With yesterday's passage of the bill, it marks the first time repeal of 
the ACA has been sent to President Obama's desk.
  In the past year, several significant problems with this law have 
become ever more clear. We have seen a large number of healthcare co-
ops go under. One major healthcare provider, UnitedHealthcare, 
announced it is pulling out of the ACA exchange. This system is just 
not sustainable.
  Late last year, the Congressional Budget Office released a report 
stating that the ACA will lead to a reduction of work-hours equivalent 
to 2 million jobs over the next decade. The CBO attributes this 
reduction to healthcare subsidies tied to income, raising effective tax 
rates for Americans, and creating a disincentive for people seeking 
promotions or new, higher paying jobs. It also points to higher taxes 
and penalties as a reason for the reduction in work-hours.
  In comparison, the Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom 
Reconciliation Act will reduce the Federal deficit by more than half a 
trillion dollars over the next 10 years. It will also eliminate costly 
provisions, such as the individual and employer health insurance 
coverage mandates, the Cadillac tax on high-cost plans, and it will 
enhance the solvency of Medicare. It also ensures that Federal tax 
dollars will not go to providers of abortion.
  Mr. Speaker, over the past several years, dozens of ACA reforms have 
been signed into law. However, we have only scratched the surface when 
it comes to addressing problems with this law. It is time to come 
together to support a comprehensive approach that ensures responsible 
use of taxpayer dollars and fixes the issues affecting our Nation's 
healthcare system.

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